


Wait For Me (I'm Coming)

by EffieTrinket1619



Series: Helping and Healing [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: BAMF everyone, Baseball bats, Blood and Injury, Burning, Drug-Induced Nightmares, Knives, Light Torture, M/M, Nightmares, Screaming, Swearing, The Brazen Bull, Torture, deceit and remus are very bad people, i underestimated myself, i wanna punch them, im so sorry, probably, straight up torture, they are not great at all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-05-31 04:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19418644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EffieTrinket1619/pseuds/EffieTrinket1619
Summary: There's something, or rather, someone, in the Mindscape(To any old readers that are confused, I did change the title from "You Cannot Stop Me From Getting To Them" because it wasn't a good title.)





	1. A Strange Occurrence

**Author's Note:**

> Interviewer: So what do you enjoy doing the most?  
> Me, sipping grape juice from a wine glass: I love making characters suffer. It fills the void in my heart. 
> 
> But seriously, this is gonna get kinda dark.  
> TW: Blood, injury, Deceit, Remus, swearing, gun, sword, yelling  
> I think that's all but feel free to tell me if I've missed something. Stay safe, and enjoy!

“Sup assholes. Morning Patton.”

“Language kiddo!”

“I take offence to that!”

“That’s the point, Princey.”

“I take it that you slept well Virgil.”

“You bet, Teach.” He was smiling and finger-gunning, certainly better than other mornings.

“Aw, that’s great Virge!” Patton walked in, beaming. “Hand hug?” he asked, holding a hand up.

“Hand hug.” Virgil smiled at Patton and acquiesced as he sat down.

Mornings in the Mindscape were certainly odd in human terms, Logan thought. The embodiments of creativity, morality, logic and anxiety sitting around a table, eating and talking. They were an odd bunch, all with the same face and a colourful variety of clothes and accessories. He watched as Roman presented his newest idea to a grinning Patton, waving his non-injured arm around like a maniac. Virgil looked on through his bangs, though Logan could a tiny smile.

Family could be found in the strangest of places, Logan realised. For him, family was a 2008 emo, an over-dramatic prince and a pun-loving father.

Logan found himself working in his room after breakfast, relishing in the silence around him. The others really could be too much sometimes.

Thomas had fifteen events in the next week, and he needed optimal sleep and energy. Meaning that he needed to come up with a decent schedule that Thomas would benefit from-

A quiet whoosh followed by heavy breathing snapped Logan out of his focused haze. Spinning around quickly, Logan’s confusion grew when he was faced with Virgil, hunched over and scrubbing desperately at his wrists. Alarm bells went off in his head.

“Virgil, I implore you to stop. You can do serious injury-,” he starts, but cut himself off when Virgil glanced up for a second. “Virgil. Can you tell me what’s wrong?” Virgil’s lips moved but no sound came out. The scratching got more intense. “Virgil please. I wish to help you.”

“Get ‘em off.” It’s very quiet the first time.

“Get what off?” Logan asked, his volume matching Virgil’s. Taking slow deliberate steps forward while holding his hands up where they could be seen, Logan tried to get a better glimpse of what was wrong. But all Logan could see on his wrists were purple bracelets-oh. Bracelets. _Shit_. “Deep breaths, alright? One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.”

Logan watched as Virgil’s breaths became less shuddery. “Logan. Help, please,” he choked out, sinking to the floor. “Get ‘em off, Logan.”

“Can I get closer Virgil. Please.” A jerk of his head which Logan took for a yes. He cautiously took a couple more steps forward and crouched to his level. “May I touch you?” A nod. Logan extended a hand slowly, giving Virgil enough time to jerk away, and gently touched Virgil’s fingertips. He flinched but met Logan’s eyes and thrust his wrists under his nose.

“Get ‘em off,” he pleaded.

“Don’t worry Virgil. I am taking them off now.”

Logan frowned at the bracelets. They were made of purple beads looped through string. They weren’t stretchy and had no clasp. Logan swiftly conjured up a pair of scissors and cut the thread. Beads bounced and scattered across the floor as they dropped. Virgil visibly relaxed, slumping on Logan.

“Would you like for me to take you back to your room?” At this, Virgil stiffened, shaking his head frantically. Logan sighed. “Fine. But I am taking you to the commons to get you checked out by Patton.” Logan held Virgil in his arms awkwardly as he sunk into the commons.

Logan wanted to know who in the fresh hell decided to break Rule #10 of the Mindscape: never, under any circumstances, no matter what day at all, put anything around Virgil’s wrists. Bracelets, bangles, watches etc. A rule that has been enforced since the first incident, which was months ago now.

No one could’ve forgotten. Patton would never, Logan had been working in his room the entire time, and he knew could definitely cross Roman off the suspect list, considering how hard he’d been working to earn Virgil’s trust. Meaning…

Logan’s back stiffened, and he slowly got up, listening extra hard. “Roman? Patton?” he called, softly. “Hello? I require assistance.”

Nothing. Chills raked up Logan’s spine. _Shouldn’t be this quiet._

Virgil jerked next to Logan’s leg suddenly, startling them both. His eyes widened, and he tried to shoot upwards, nearly toppling over from the momentum. “Shit! _Shit!_ ” he hissed.

Logan stepped in front of him, holding his arms out wide. “Take deep breaths before you speak, Virgil. Copy me.” Logan breathed in, exaggerating the rise and fall of his chest, and making sure Virgil followed. “Can you explain what happened now?”

Virgil sucked in a breath, eyes wild. “So, um. There was this, I don’t know, this _thing._ Like it was big and black and kinda humanish but not? Taller than any of us. It just… _appeared_ in my room when I went there after breakfast, you know, to get my headphones because Princey was being an annoying piece of shi-“

“Virgil, focus.”

“Right, sorry. So it appeared, and I tried to get away, but it blocked the exit. Like, the door and the teleporting thing. And I panicked, so I tried calling Roman but I couldn’t reach him, and the thing just came toward me and it grabbed me and then, and then-“ He was gasping for air at this point, and Logan lead him through another exercise.

“Do not say sorry,” he murmured, sensing the coming apology. “Virgil, what did the thing do?” Logan knew it was a terrible idea to push Virgil on this subject, but it was the only way to get information as to what was happening.

Virgil held up his wrists, and Logan’s eyes widened. There were thick streaks of black, like wet ink left on his skin, the surrounding area red and raw. “It grabbed me and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground and there were things on my wrists and I had to get them off-“

“May I hug you Virgil?” The tone Logan used was soft, though the rage he felt bled through slightly. _How dare someone do something like that to harm Virgil._

Virgil was startled. “You sure?” he asked, holding his arms out uncertainly.

Logan reached forward and gathered him up, trapping him in a tight embrace. “You are safe now.”

“I know.”

A moment passed between them.

It was a cry for help that tugged on the corners of Logan’s head that jolted both of them out of their hug.

“Who was that?” Virgil was frantic, already turning and preparing to race to whoever was calling out. Logan adjusted his glasses nervously.

“Roman I believe.”

The colour drained from Virgil’s face. “Roman can’t fight shit with a broken arm.”

With that, the both of them sunk out quickly, resurfacing in Roman’s room. Virgil wobbled dangerously, still pale as a sheet and looked around wildly. “Roman? Princey you little shit, say something!”

And Logan knew right off the bat that something was _horribly_ wrong.

The room they appeared in wasn’t Roman’s. It couldn’t be. It was dark and cold, shadows twisting and writhing within the black

“Be quiet Virgil!” he hissed, grabbing a fistful of fabric from Virgil’s jacket, pulling him closer.

“Let me go Logan!”

Logan heard the clink of metal, and instinct propelled him to conjure the shield. He stumbled back with the force of the shuriken that hit it. “Get out Virgil.” He spoke as calmly as he could, trying not to add onto the rising panic he could feel from Virgil. “Protect Patton. I will find Roman.”

“Come out, come out where ever you are! ~” Remus’s voice rang out from the darkness.

Virgil shook his head furiously, conjuring a weapon of his own: a small dagger, though Logan doubted he would use it against anyone. “I am _not_ leaving you.”

“I can hear you, you know!”

“Yes we are well aware of that,” Logan muttered, summoning a flashlight. He clicked in on and focussed the beam on a random spot in the darkness. “Where are you-oh my gosh _Roman!”_

Remus had his brother in a death grip, holding a gun to his head. “Step closer, and I’ll go bang.”

Virgil raised his knife. “Don’t you dare, fucker.” In response, Remus delicately placed a finger on the trigger, and Virgil stiffened.

“Oh I will. Don’t you worry!”

“Don’t underestimate him, Virge. Have you already forgotten everything he’s done to you?”

Virgil’s next breath shook on the way out. Logan pulled him close, trying to listen closer. “There is no point in hiding, Deceit.”

A floating yellow eye materialised, glowing in the dark. “Oh I know. I just have that…dramatic flair, you know?”

Logan sighed, putting on the face of indifference. “No I do not know. Release Roman and leave. We do not wish to be hostile.”

Deceit laughed, the sound grating on Logan’s nerves. He huffed in exasperation, though he didn’t break concentration for a second, hyper-focussing on the gun next to Roman’s head. “Do you hear that, Remus? He’s _threatening_ us!”

Remus grinned. “I do, Deceit!” Laughing as if this was all one big joke, he produced a stick of deodorant out of nowhere and took a bite out of it. “Threats won’t get you anywhere, good sirs. Well, maybe only one place.” Remus made a gesture at Deceit. “Hell!”

Logan wasn’t ready, which was his fatal mistake, as he watched Deceit throw a glowing yellow snake at his head with the speed and force of a bullet. He could only watch as it streaked toward him, fangs out and dripping poison-

_Whack!_

Metal hit flesh, and the snake got knocked out of the air. Patton stepped in front of Logan and Virgil, wielding a baseball bat.

“Let go of Roman. Now,” he said, cold fury colouring his words.

Now Deceit looked slightly unsettled by this turn of events. His sneer fell off his face to be replaced with a triumphant smile. “Oh Morality. You wouldn’t dare.”

Patton only hefted the bat higher. “I’ve done it once, and I’ll do it again. I will ask nicely one more time. Let him go now, and no one gets hurt.”

Even Remus looked mildly terrified. He hadn’t actually seen Patton angry like this, and Logan doubted Deceit had told him.

“Patton wha-“ Virgil began.

“Not now, Virge,” Patton whispered, stony expression softening a little. He turned back to the Dark Sides. Logan knew Patton wouldn’t back down and they would continue until Roman was released, or until things went very, very wrong.

“What do you want?” Logan asked, raising himself to his full height.

Deceit smiled and spread his arms. “Why should we tell you anything of our plan?”

Remus frowned. “We have a plan?”

“Correction: my plan.”

Logan held his hands up placatingly. “We do not want any trouble Deceit. We are willing to forgo any kind of retribution if you just leave us all alone.”

Silence passed between them, silence where Logan refused to break eye-contact.

“Nah.”

Logan didn’t know who attacked first, but suddenly, he had Roman’s sword in his hands and was swinging it around wildly. He knew he was facing off against Remus, but Logan could only catch glimpses of sparkly black and green fabric. At one point, Logan could’ve sworn he’d heard a taunting whisper in his ear.

Something hard slammed in Logan’s stomach, knocking the wind out of his lungs. He wheezed for breath, falling to his knees. With one hand clutching his injured stomach, he threw the other out in the darkness to try to feel his way around. “Patton?” he gasped.

Nothing.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? Wow Teach, not lookin’ so hot now?”

“Fuck you,” Logan growled.

Remus giggled. “I’d rather not.” Logan closed his eyes, preparing for the inevitable pain.

But it never came.

His eyes opened when he heard a gasp somewhere above him, and they widened when they landed on Virgil, curled up and bleeding on the floor.

“Shit, _Virgil!”_ he yelped, crawling desperately over. His hands shook slightly as he took in the shuriken buried in his stomach. “You’re okay, you’re okay,” he chanted, conjuring up a thick wad of cloth. He pressed it onto the area around the shuriken, soaking up blood as best as he could.

Virgil’s eyes opened. The haze over lifted when they landed on Logan. “Get. Out,” he gritted out, pushing Logan’s hands away. “Now.”

“Absolutely not. You’re the one that needs to leave.”

Virgil shook his head frantically. “Idiot,” he snarled, punching Logan in the arm. “What do you think would happen…to Thomas if you get hurt?” Tears of pain ran down Virgil’s too-pale cheek. “Go to…Thomas. He’ll protect you.”

Logan stood up. “You are sorely mistaken if you think I will leave you,” he muttered, summoning a shield.

Virgil let out a frustrated scream. “You fucking idiot! Get it through your thick-ass skull that if they get to you, we’re all screwed!” When Virgil got no response from Logan, he decided to resort to Plan B. “Patton! He isn’t listening!” he screamed.

Logan spun on the spot, ready to argue with Patton, but was instead met with a sensation not unlike the one you get when you fall suddenly. That painful clench in the stomach. Black spots danced across his vision.

From somewhere far away, Logan could hear Patton’s voice.

“I’m sorry Logan. This is to protect you.”

The last thing Logan saw before the darkness, was Virgil relaxing with a small smile on his face. From the blackness behind him, Logan saw a yellow eye blink into existence. His yell died in his throat as he was flushed from the Mindscape.

“Logan?”

“Thomas. Help.”

“Logan wait! Wake up! _Logan!”_


	2. Things Escalate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one is in a good position right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one kind of switches POVs around. 
> 
> Tw for this chapter:  
> Lots of swearing  
> Screaming  
> A panic attack, but it's not elaborated on  
> Stabbing  
> Mention of blood  
> A snake

“You okay?” Thomas asked, passing Logan a glass of water. Logan said nothing, staring blankly at the coffee table. Thomas awkwardly pat his shoulder, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Logan. Could you, like, tell me what happened.”

Logan didn’t know how to explain. _The Others have taken your morality, creativity and anxiety hostage, putting them in danger. Oh, and Patton kicked me out of your head to keep me safe, therefore dooming himself and the others because he’s a self-sacrificial idiot._

“I am sorry Thomas.” _No you will **not** cry, _he thought viciously.

“Wait why. Why are you sorry? What happened? Logan-“

Logan spun around and placed his hands on Thomas’s shoulders. “You will _listen_ to me and _not_ interrupt. I will attempt to explain to the best of my ability. Understand?”

Thomas nodded, eyes wide. “O-okay.”

Logan sighed. “Patton kicked me out of the Mindscape, and I am unable to return.”

Thomas’s jaw dropped. “He can do that? Since when?”

Frowning, Logan shrugged. “He is the eldest, and therefore the most powerful. I believe he has also locked the Mindscape from the inside as well. Nothing can get out.”

Thomas’s eyes widened. “D-did he hurt you?” he breathed. Logan froze.

“Absolutely not!” he growled. Thomas flinched back, and Logan immediately felt guilty. “I apologise. I didn’t give you any context. No, Patton didn’t do this to me.”

“Then who?” Thomas prodded. 

Taking a deep breath, Logan began talking.

“The Dark Sides have attacked.” Almost straightaway, Thomas opened his mouth, panic in his eyes. Logan waved a hand to silence him. “They went after Virgil first, but he escaped and came to me. We heard Roman cry for help, so naturally, we went to investigate.” Logan’s voice caught. He swallowed and continued. “It was Remus and Deceit. Them and these…creatures, though Virgil was the only one who came into contact with one.”

Thomas looked terrified. “I have things like that inside my brain?” he whispered.

Logan’s head snapped up. “No. This is not your fault, so don’t you dare think like that Thomas. And I told you not to interrupt.”

“Right. Sorry.”

Logan continued. “They had Roman hostage. He was in danger, and so, we tried to help him.” Logan blinked away the warmth in his eyes. “We failed.” Logan put his head in his hands. “And Patton kicked me out, to protect me. Condemning himself and the others.”

Thomas carefully wrapped his arms around Logan, who was beginning to shake. “Not your fault Logan.”

“I do not know what to do anymore.”

There was silence for a minute.

“I’ll tell you what we do. First, we get you something to eat and drink. You need to rest. I can try to contact Patton.” Thomas stood up and wandered over to the kitchen.

“Thomas, I-“

“Logan. Shut it,” he said, sounding exactly like Virgil. Logan leant back, sinking into the couch cushions and closed his eyes, trying to ward off the growing headache.

A second later, Thomas set down a glass of water in front of Logan. “Drink.”

“Thank you, Thomas. I-“

Logan didn’t finish his sentence, as at that moment, the front door was thrown open, making the two of them jump up and turn toward the hallway. Joan walked over and stopped in their tracks at the identical faces staring at him from the couch.

“Thomas what the _fuck?”_

“I can explain.”

Remus struck first, dropping Roman and going straight for Patton, who swung at him as quickly as he could. Logan disappeared into the dark, presumably to get to Roman.

Breathing hard, Patton watched as the yellow eye circled him. He raised the bat in warning, on alert for any of the others.

“Leave us alone Deceit.” His voice didn’t waver even though he felt like crying.

He stepped from the shadows, one of his snakes curling itself around his fingers. “Wipe that look off your face Morality. Anger doesn’t suit you.”

They circled each other, locked in the most serious staring competition ever. “What do you want, Deceit?”

A thoughtful tilt of his head. “I want…” A grin. “I want control. And the only thing keeping me from it, is your little friend.”

Patton’s eyes went wide. _Logan._

Deceit melted back into the shadows, compelling Patton to run in after him, though it wasn’t the snake he bumped into. It was Virgil.

“Virge!” Patton frantically grabbed his hand. “Logan’s in danger. We need to get him out.”

Virgil’s initial panic faded. “What do you need?”

Patton thought for a second. “Reason with him. If that doesn’t work, tell me.”

“Got it.”

And he was gone, into the black.

A second later, Patton felt something warm land on his neck. It began twisting and writhing, which set Patton off. He clawed at it, grasping the slippery thing and prying it off. The snake in his hands hissed and spat, trying desperately to bite him, before Patton threw it as far as he could. Gasping for breath, he ran around, feeling through the black fog.

“Roman! _Roman, where are you?!”_ he yelled. He tripped over something and spun around. “Oh my gosh, Roman!” It was him, lying on the ground, still and quiet. Patton dropped down next to him, hands shaking as he examined him. “What on earth did they do to you?”

Patton’s head jerked up at Virgil’s sudden yell. “Patton! He isn’t listening!”

He sighed, even though he knew this would happen.

Being the eldest had its perks, and Patton found out new powers and quirks every other week. One of the most recent discoveries was the ability to kick a Side out of the Mindscape and lock the place up. (He found this out accidently, with Roman being on the receiving end. Thankfully, Thomas didn’t find out, as Patton figured out how to un-do it before Thomas could walk in on them.)

Using all of his strength, he pushed Logan out of Thomas’s mind and into the real world

“I’m sorry Logan,” he whispered. “This is to protect you.”

As soon as he felt Logan leave, he locked the Mindscape completely, so that no one could get in or out.

He felt them creep up on him, but he wasn’t quick enough to fight back as something slammed against the back of his head. Patton’s vision tunnelled as he blacked out completely.

Joan’s mouth didn’t close for the entirety of Thomas’s explanation. When he’d finished, they were still gaping, gaze shifting between Logan and Thomas. Logan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t have time for this.

“So you-are you…real? Like, can I touch you?” This caused Logan to sigh harder. He mentally reprimanded himself a second later, however. _Joan’s reaction isn’t overblown, it’s realistic._

“Let us start over,” he said, walking over to Joan who appeared to be too dumbstruck to react. He stuck out his hand for Joan to shake. “Salutations Joan. My name is Logan ‘Logic’ Sanders. It is a pleasure to meet you formally.” He smiled on the outside, hoping and praying that it looked somewhat natural.

Joan shook his hand, their face lighting up when their skin made contact. “Holy shit. You _are_ real!”

Pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, Logan shook his head. “Not entirely. I am corporeal, but I am able to break some rules in this world. Physics don’t exactly apply to me.”

“Cool! Could you-“

“Uh, Joan. C-could I talk to you for a sec?” Thomas interjected. “In the kitchen.” Joan nodded, and followed Thomas out, giving Logan one last glance.

Logan found himself sitting on the couch, head leaning against the wall and letting the conversation in the kitchen wash over him. He was tired, everything ached, and he wasn’t completely sure if the others were actually alive. Worry gnawed at the inside of his stomach as he re-evaluated his life choices.

How the hell did he end up here?

The voice cut through the hammering in his head like a sword. Like literally, it appeared in his head and pushed the pain aside

_‘Roman?’_

He totally didn’t jump at all. Him? Scared? Noo. Fear’s for peasants.

_‘Who the hell-‘_

_‘Oh thank god! It’s me, Patton!’_

Roman was sceptical. Of course he was. Why shouldn’t he be? His goddamn twin burst into his room and knocked him out cold for what felt like hours. And then he woke up in this cell thing with no idea of where the others were.

_‘Prove it.’_

_‘Oh, uh. Oh! Sometimes when you have nightmares you go to Virgil’s room. You two always end up on the couch together. It’s adorable and Logan and I have lots of pictures!’_

Roman felt the blush creep up his neck. _‘Definitely Patton. Okay then. Where the hell am I? Where are the others? And where the fuck is Remus?’_

There was silence for a few seconds on the other side of the bond. _‘I don’t know, kiddo.’_

Roman breathed deeply, attempting to calm himself down. _‘Since when could you talk to us like this, Padré?’_

_‘Uh, since now I think.’_

_‘How?’_

Roman could practically see the soft smile. _‘Oldest makes the rules.’_

He leant back, back pressing against the cold stone wall of where ever the hell he was trapped. His injured arm hung uselessly at his side, almost a dead weight. _‘What are we going to do, Patton?’_

Patton’s voice grew a little louder when he ‘spoke’ again. _‘We’ve gotta trust Logan, Roman.’_

Roman nodded absently. _‘Wait where-‘,_ he began, cutting himself off as he heard approaching footsteps. _‘Someone’s coming.’_

_‘Stay safe.’_

Roman sat upright, hands hovering around his side as the footsteps grew closer. He could also hear a voice, yelling profanities.

The door opened with a loud clang which was quickly drowned out with yelling.

“Let me go you fucking asshole! _Let me go you goddamn morons! Where is he? **Where the fuck is he?!”**_

Roman’s eyes widened. “Virgil!”

It was Remus that pushed Virgil through the door, looking in briefly and smiling unpleasantly at Roman. “Goodnight!” he chirped before shutting the door.

Virgil stumbled forward and whipped around, nearly launching himself at the metal door which was closed at that point. Releasing a breath, he slowly spun around, his whole body tensing when his eyes landed on Roman.

“Oh _fuck_.” He ran over, landing hard on his knees in front of Roman. His hands trembled as he touched his hand gently. Before Roman could say anything, Virgil froze and scooted back a few inches. “How does Patton make my brownies?”

Roman answered without hesitation. “Triple chocolate with three small white marshmallows and two small pink marshmallows on top.”

Virgil relaxed. “It’s you. _Oh my gosh, it’s actually you_.”

“Yup.” Roman grabbed one of Virgil’s hands. “What happened?”

He leaned back, holding on tightly. “I have no clue. All I know is that they want Logan.” Roman opened his mouth, but Virgil cut in before he could talk. “I can’t tell you where he is. They’re listening.”

“R-right. Anything that I _should_ know?” he asked.

Virgil shrugged. “We’re screwed unless Logan can find us.”

Roman sighed. “Great.” His eyes absently roamed over Virgil, zeroing in on the dark stain on his shirt. “Virge. When did you get hurt?” he whispered.

Virgil looked down quickly, attempting to cover the stain up with his free hand. “It’s nothing Princey.”

Roman felt anger flare up inside him. “Virgil. Who was it?” he growled.

Virgil shrank back a little. “Remus and his fucking ninja stars.” Roman sighed and held his head in his hand. “It’s healed now, Ro! Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m gonna kill that bastard,” Roman mumbled, his voice slightly muffled.

They sat without talking, never losing hold of each other. The silence had begun to grate on Roman’s ears when the door burst open.

The two of them flinched back violently, huddling together. Remus and Deceit appeared, both of them smiling dangerously. Deceit jerked his head toward Remus, who walked over to the pair.

“Would you mind grabbing our resident emo, Remus dear?”

Virgil’s fight reflex kicked in at that moment, and he tried to punch and tear at Remus’s skin, attacking every bit of flesh he could reach.

“Don’t fucking touch him, you pricks!” Roman roared, trying and failing to get up with one arm while being pinned to the wall by Virgil.

What Virgil didn’t know and what Roman did know, was that Remus would do anything to win a fight. Unfortunately, Roman wasn’t quick enough to stop the knife that descended onto him.

A second later, he screamed out against the sudden agony in his shoulder. Virgil jolted away, shock on his features, which was just the opening Remus needed to grab Virgil and drag him away.

“ **No! No stop! Roman! _Roman!”_** Roman gasped, hand pressed weakly to the wound. It was steadily gushing blood despite his efforts. Pain began to cloud his thoughts, but he did remember one thing before blacking out.

Deceit walking toward a screaming Virgil, holding a pair of glowing yellow handcuffs.

“Jeez. You guys are really screwed then.”

Logan curled up a little tighter. “That is one way to say it.”

They were all in the living room, Logan and Joan on opposite ends of the sofa and Thomas pacing around the foot of the stairs. Logan was laying down, hugging the pillow tightly.

Thomas shot Joan a Look™. They blanched but began to apologise. “Sorry Logan-,” they muttered, being cut off when Thomas suddenly fell onto the floor with a soft cry. Logan shot up, and immediately fell backward, the sudden movement making his head spin. Groaning slightly, he squinted through his headache at Joan, hovering anxiously around their best friend.

“Thomas. Thomas, what’s wrong?” Thomas couldn’t seem to say anything, only able to take in wheezing gasps of breaths. Tears streamed down his face as he shook like a leaf.

Logan realised with a jolt that it was a panic attack. “Oh my goodness,” he whispered, getting up and stumbling over. His vision blurred, and his stomach dropped as he took a step forward.

He was faintly aware of hands catching and holding onto his shoulder, and the far off voice that accompanied the touch.

“Heya LoLo! Don’ worry, boo, your ol’ pals are here to help!”

Logan blinked, once, twice, three times before his eyes had adjusted enough to take in the sight before him. He nearly sagged with relief when he caught sight of the two who’d appeared in the room.

“Remy,” he murmured happily. Remy grinned widely and pushed him down onto the sofa gently.

“Stay put, hon. Em has Thomas.”

Through the haze, Logan registered the sentence. “Emile’s here?” he asked sleepily.

“You bet he is. Get some sleep, gurl, or I’ll knock you out.”

Logan didn’t need to be told twice, and he drifted off straight away.

Patton found himself drowning in worry and anxiety (ha!). In the small, cold stone cell he found himself in, he was terrified for Virgil and Roman, where ever they were. The thin connection he could forge with Roman had gone silent a moment ago after he told Patton that someone was coming.

He sat up a little straighter at the scratching he heard from the door. The chains around his wrists and ankles clanked, making him wince at the sudden noise.

The door was suddenly thrown open, drawing an involuntary yelp from Patton.

_Oh no._

Deceit leant against the doorframe. “Hello Morality.”

“Where are they Deceit?”

He laughed silkily. “Straight to the point, I see.” Deceit swept closer and crouched. He was only few meters away from Patton, just out of hitting distance if Patton had the energy to summon his bat.

“What do you want Deceit?” he asked tersely.

Deceit shifted into a kneeling position, leaning forward and resting his chin on his fist. “Let’s see. Oh! Perhaps we can come to a compromise. You give me what I want, and in return, I give you whatever you desire. How is that?”

Patton felt like punching him. “I won’t tell you where Logan is.”

Deceit dropped the oily smile. “Are you sure?” he drawled. “I’m not afraid to…coax an answer out of you.”

Patton wished he felt as brave as he sounded. “Positive, Deceit.”

Before Patton could move or yell, a golden snake shot forward, and in the time it took him to blink, he felt the prick followed by a deep ache on his throat. Eyes wide, his hands went for his throat, weighed down by the chains. He felt the poison kick in almost immediately.

Sluggishly, Patton looked up at Deceit, who was grinning again.

“Sweet dreams, Morality.”

And with that, he got up and left, leaving Patton curled up on the floor.

His eyes slipped close of their own accord, and before he knew it, he was floating around in nothingness.

And so, the nightmares began.

_Far away, the prince bled out, tears streaming down his face as he stared at his knight, silent and unmoving in his shackles. The mage screamed until his voice was hoarse, unable to escape the nightmare he was cast into. And in the middle of it all, the scholar planned and plotted to get his family back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remy and Emile are here now!  
> I didn't originally plan for this to happen but whatever, I guess. Honestly, our boys need some backup.   
> I totally respect Thomas's decision not to make Remy a side, and I completely understand it as well.


	3. Everyone's Suffering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit and Remus have their own ways to make their victims give them what they want...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: *rereads chapter*  
> Me:  
> Me: fuck i have gone Too Far
> 
> Tw for this chapter:  
> Blood and Gore  
> Stabbing  
> Burning  
> Burns in general  
> Screaming  
> Swearing  
> A baseball bat being used incorrectly  
> Crying  
> Death  
> Scratching at skin  
> Interrogation  
> Torture
> 
> Stay safe and enjoy!

Patton couldn’t see anything.

Breathing through his mouth, he tried to calm down the best he could and blinked as if that would magically make him see again.

Footsteps sounded somewhere off in the distance. He didn’t dare call out, remembering the last time he’d heard footsteps. Instead, he squeezed his eyes shut and stayed as quiet as he could, hoping for the dark to go away.

**_Open your eyes Morality._ **

He didn’t want to, but invisible fingers pushed them open against his will. Struggling against them, he tried to shut them again, failing as the fingers kept them open.

**_Watch._ **

He didn’t _want_ to. But he didn’t seem to have a choice.

When his eyes snapped into focus, he found himself staring at a small room enveloped with soft, golden light. In the middle of it all, was a big, golden bull, made of metal. It stood over a pile of logs. A memory tickled the back of Patton’s mind and his gut twisted unpleasantly. He’d seen this somewhere before and he knew it wasn’t good.

**_It does look familiar, doesn’t it?_ **

A shiver crawled up Patton’s spine and he struggled again, against whatever was holding him down. He didn’t want to see this at all.

A tiny, pained, almost animalistic sound made Patton freeze. His eyes zeroed in on the two figures who’d just entered. One of them was a person in a black robe. They moved behind the second person, aggressively shoving them forward. Patton squinted to get a better look, instantly recoiling when he caught a glimpse of his face.

“Virgil!” he yelled, trying his hardest to writhe out of the shadows’ grip. “Don’t, _please!”_ he begged. He didn’t get a response. He tried to shut his eyes again, only for them to be pried open painfully almost instantly.

He watched in helpless terror as Virgil was pushed toward the bull. His captor opened a hatch, big enough for someone to fit through.

The memory was within Patton’s reach. Something from Logan’s room that disappeared the night after he’d read it. It was years ago, but it was awful enough to not forget.

The captor wrestled Virgil toward the bull, punching him in the face when Virgil fought back. Patton’s breathing accelerated as Virgil was crammed into the bull head first. _Virgil doesn’t like small spaces. It’ll scare him!_

“Get him out!” Patton gasped. “He’ll have an attack! Please don’t hurt him!”

**_Come now Morality. You know what this is. You know what we’re going to do._ **

He did. He knew exactly what was going to happen.

Patton’s breathing sped up as he watched the hatch get closed and a fire get lit under the bull’s stomach. “No. No no no no no no no _no, no please!”_

**_The Brazen Bull. A Greek invention, for the tyrant Phalaris, who ruled over Akragas, Sicily to keep the citizens under his thumb._ **

The belly of the bull began to glow a dull red and it emitted a long, loud bellow. Patton screamed with it, the yell short lived as he ran out of air. Desperately, he tried to suck in more oxygen, crying hysterically.

**_The creator, Perillos of Athens, explained the system of tubes and pipes, which morphed the victim’s screams into what sounded like the bellow of a bull._ **

Patton cried harder, throwing himself forward again, and again, and again, each time being met with a solid wall. Pain shot up his body, real life pain meaning that this was real real real _real REAL-_

“ _Stop Deceit! Please, stop!”_ he sobbed.

He could hear nothing except the screaming coming from the bull, the horrible, desperate screaming, the clanging from within it which grew quieter and weaker and Deceit’s taunting voice.

**_Enjoying yourself, Morality dearest?_ **

“Don’t…d-don’t kill him,” he rasped, looking away toward the dark, hoping to catch a glimpse of yellow _somewhere._

The fingers came back, grabbing his head roughly and yanking it back toward Virgil.

**_Watch, Morality._ **

He didn’t want to.

Screaming and bucking away from the shadows that held him tight, he only managed to hurt himself further, slamming his forehead against the wall several times. His head throbbed in rhythm with his heartbeat. The bull glowed red hot, and the screaming had finally died out.

Patton let out a long, pained shriek.

**_It appears that the meat has cooked to perfection. Would you like to see?_ **

Patton froze in horror. _Oh god no…_

Trembling and shivering, Patton stared ahead, numb to everything. The fingers grabbed his arms and dug into his skin painfully, making him yelp out, though his eyes didn’t stray.

**_I asked if you wanted to see him, but I’ll take your reaction as confirmation._ **

Before Patton could process what was happening, the hooded guy stepped forward, opened the glowing latch and reached inside.

Patton watched in muted horror as something was taken out of the bull’s belly. He was overcome by a wave of nausea and tried to look away, failing once again as Deceit forced him to **_watch._**

“No,” he whispered. The body wasn’t even recognisable, covered in horrific burns, charred all over and still smoking. It wasn’t a human. It couldn’t be Virgil.

The torturer turned its head toward and Patton flinched away violently. The skin was red and peeling, and what looked like the cheeks were blackened. From here, the smell of burning flesh was overwhelming, and Patton gagged.

Patton tried to scramble away.

“V-Virgil?” he whimpered, voice breaking.

A loud laugh sounded from somewhere above him.

**_He’s dead, Morality._ **

Patton keeled over as if he’d hit with a sledgehammer. He dared a look up again, this time shrieking when his eyes landed on it- _him._ The hooded person dropped Virgil who crumpled to the ground and left the room.

He felt the darkness recede and his stomach lurched. Suddenly, he was standing in the soft, golden light. Something touched his foot.

His reflexes kicked in and he scurried back, unable to breathe. He was right in front of Virgil.

**_My, my. Not so pretty now, is he?_ **

Patton spun around as quickly as he could. “Shut up!” he screamed, tears flowing freely. “Shut up shut up _shut up!”_ Patton gripped his hair, tugging harshly against the flood of tears.

Something in him finally broke at the sight of his face, still contorted in an expression of fear.

He sank to the ground, sobbing and gasping for air. “ _V-Virge!”_ he moaned, clawing at his face, his throat. Blunt fingernails tore at skin, and salty tears mixed with blood, making the wounds sting more.

**_One down, two to go._ **

****

Logan woke up to the sound of talking.

He sat up, finding himself on the sofa with a blanket over him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear a phantom scream, which disappeared as soon as he tried to analyse it. It took approximately five seconds for the previous day’s events to crash into him, jolting him out of his sleepy stupor.

“Hey Thomas! Logie’s awake!” Logan stared at the blob somewhere in front of him. Raising his hands to his face, he realised with a start that he didn’t have his glasses. He found them on the table in front of him, and with some fumbling, he put them on, straightening his tie for good measure.

“So you are going to assist us, Remy?”

Remy smiled and leant back on the hard-backed chair, sipping his coffee. “’Course we will, babe!” he proclaimed, nearly toppling out of the chair. He caught himself in time and decided to lean forward.

Thomas walked in followed by Joan, looking a little dishevelled, but otherwise, fine. “Hey Lo. How’re you feeling?”

Logan fiddled with his glasses. “Satisfactory. You?”

Thomas looked at Joan. “I’m alright. Better now.”

Logan nodded. A thought struck him suddenly. “Emile-“

“Right here, Logan!” a voice chirped from the kitchen. Emile appeared, wiping his hands down on an apron.

“Did either of you explain yourselves to Thomas?”

“Nope.”

“I thought so.” With a long-suffering sigh, Logan motioned at Thomas and Joan to sit. “You know who Emile and Remy are, correct? As in, the characters you created.” They nodded. “Well Thomas, those characters were brought to life in the Mindscape by Roman. No one knows how or why. They even embody the traits you gave them. Remy has the ability to lull someone to sleep and is able to control dreams to an extent, and Emile is a professional therapist.”

Thomas’s eyes bulged. “So I have a therapist inside my head?”

“Yuppers!”

Logan gave Emile a half-hearted smile. “You have to keep in mind that Emile and Remy are not Sides. Therefore, they are not affected by the same laws that we are hindered by. Hence, their ability to appear even after Patton has locked the Mindscape.”

Remy nodded along in agreement, seemingly more interested in his drink than Logan, though Logan knew that wasn’t the case.

Thomas shook his head in disbelief. “That’s really cool!” His voice caught suspiciously, making Logan narrow his eyes at him. _Is it…?_

“Thomas. How are you feeling?”

Thomas locked tear-filled eyes with Logan. One of them slipped down his cheek. “I-I don’t _know,_ Logan.” He shrunk into himself, holding his knees up to his chest.

Logan could only think of one person.

“Remy. It’s Patton.”

He shot up. “Oh shit-“

Emile was already in front of Thomas, not touching but talking to him softly. “Alright buddy, could you breathe with me?” Thomas nodded, attempting to follow Emile through the exercise. “That’s it. Joan, could you get a glass of water?”

They nodded and ran into the kitchen. “Emile…” Remy started, cutting himself off when Emile held up a silencing hand.

“Later, Rem.” Logan shot him a look which Remy returned. _What on earth could they be doing to him to make him project this strong?_

Emile opened his arms out to Thomas, silently inviting him into a hug, which Thomas accepted without any hesitation. A heavy quiet fell across the room when Joan came back in and handed Emile the water. He gave it to Thomas who took cautious sips.

“What do you think, Lo?”

Logan swallowed. “It’s Patton. I am sure of it. But he has not projected this much in years, which leads me to believe that the others are…” Logan hesitated. Surely, they wouldn’t go as far as to hurt him? “I do not know.”

Thomas’s lip trembled. “Logan, I’m sorry.”

Logan’s head shot up. “Absolutely no blaming yourself. I told you this earlier,” he snapped.

“Before you two go all out on each other, what do ya think we should do?” Remy interjected.

“Well, we have gotten signals from Patton and Virgil leading me to believe that they are still within their grasps. I do not know what befell Roman, however, so we shouldn’t rush into anything before hatching a proper plan.”

Emile smiled. “Alright then bucko! What do we have to work with?”

Logan frowned. “The Mindscape is locked to me, but I believe that Thomas can override that. Remy and Emile are already able to enter and leave at will. We do not have time on our side, but our attack must be timed accordingly.”

Remy raised his hand and Logan nodded at him. “I dunno ‘bout most of our abilities, but there’s a teeny tiny chance that they won’t affect us.”

“It’s true!” Emile chirped.

Joan jumped in. “What about Thomas and me? What should we do?”

Logan bit his lip. “It is far too dangerous to bring either of you into a battle like this. I suggest that Joan stand by Thomas at all times, so that if something were to get out, you would be able to fend it off.”

They nodded determinedly. “What about you guys?” Thomas asked.

Logan smiled gently. “We are not real,” he simply said. “And you are.”

“Hey, Em. You sure you wanna come with?” Remy asked.

Emile shifted uncomfortably. Logan internally facepalmed. He’d forgotten Emile’s aversion to violence. “I mean, only if you two would be able to-“

“We could use backup out here, Dr Picani,” Joan smiled. Emile nodded faintly.

“If it makes ya feel any better gurl, it’ll still be two on two,”

“Okay. I’ll stay back.”

“Er, guys.” All heads turned to Thomas.

“Yes, Thomas?”

He clutched his head. “Don’t think Roman’s having a good day either.”

“Sweetie how do ya know it’s Ro?”

Thomas started massaging his temples. “I can hear him,” he breathed, horror creeping into his face and his tone.

Without missing a beat, Logan stepped forward and took one of Thomas’s hands in his own. Images flashed past his eyes, too fast for him to decipher, though he got the gist very quickly. Logan let go in shock.

“Dear Einstein,” he murmured, staring at the others.

“So it’s bad?” Logan nodded.

It was horrifying.

Roman didn’t know how much time had passed since they left, dragging Virgil’s limp body with them. He could only hope that they wouldn’t hurt him anymore. He’d tried to follow them, but the agony in his shoulder prevented him from doing much.

The blood had started to clot, making him feel uncomfortably sticky among other things.

Roman had felt Patton a little while ago. The raw emotion had hit him like a truck; the anger, the fear, the guilt and the grief overwhelming him to the point of tears. The burst had disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, making Roman afraid. He didn’t want to know what they had done to simply cut off a burst as strong as that one.

The door screeched as it was shoved open, making Roman flinch badly. He curled up into himself shivering violently.

“Hello, brother dear!” Oh great. It was Remus.

“What do you want now?” he asked, wincing at how hoarse his voice was.

Remus’s face fell into an expression of mock-hurt. “That’s no way to talk to family!”

Roman gasped out a laugh. “You come into my room, knock me unconscious, separate me from everyone, stab me and make me watch as you drag my friend away to his worst nightmare. Oh, and lets not forget; you’re holding everyone hostage for no apparent reason, and you have the audacity to call me _family?_ ” The last word was delivered in a snarl.

Remus dramatically placed a hand on his chest. “You wound me, Roman!”

Roman rolled his eyes, baring his teeth. “Get on with it. What do you want?”

Remus dropped the act, adopting a malicious grin. “The Imagination.”

At this, Roman froze. _No._ “Wh-what?” he stammered, hoping he’d heard incorrectly.

“You heard me. I want full control of the Imagination.”

Roman could hold it in anymore. He burst out laughing, the heavy movement aggravating his shoulder. He didn’t care. “That is the most _ludicrous_ thing I have ever heard you say, Remus-“

“I’m not joking,” Remus deadpanned, expression deadly serious. Roman’s laughter petered out. “I want the Imagination. You can probably pass it off to me or something.”

Roman wheezed for breath for a few seconds, squirming under his brother’s glare. “I can’t,” he finally forced out. “The Imagination is my responsibility, and besides, I don’t even know _how_ to pass off full creative control-“

“Oh, Roman, Roman, _Roman_ ,” Remus crooned. Roman froze. “You seem to forget. I live with a liar.” He leant in close enough to smell the deodorant on Remus’s breath. Roman had never been so _terrified_ of Remus before. “You can’t lie to me.”

_Ah fuck._

Roman took up the defence. “I won’t tell you,” he growled. “So get your sparkly ass away from my face.”

Remus sighed and straightened, turning his back on Roman, _dramatically._

“I didn’t want it to come to this-“

“Yes you did,” Roman interrupted.

“That’s true,” Remus amended. “But shut up.” He cleared his throat. “As much as it pains me to do this, I suppose I’ll have to get what I want the hard way.”

Oh _fantastic._ Just what Roman needed.

Remus conjured a tiny bottle filled with green liquid.

“I am _not_ drinking that, Remus.”

“What, why?”

Roman couldn’t believe how stupid his brother thought he was. “I’d rather not get poisoned.”

Remus genuinely looked confused as he brought the bottle closer. “But it isn’t poison. It’s supposed to help you.”

Roman highly doubted that. He clamped his teeth together and secured a hand over his mouth for good measure. Remus huffed in exasperation and stomped forward, grabbing Roman’s arm and tearing it off his face with surprising strength.

“Open your mouth, please.”

Roman shook his head furiously, panic growing as he tried to wrench his hand away desperately. Remus simply pocketed the potion and pushed Roman’s captive hand to the ground, securing it underneath his knee. Roman struggled harder to get away, his instincts screaming at him. Remus reached for his face and grabbed it, effectively holding it still. Using one hand to steady himself, he used the other to block off the air going into Roman’s noise.

It was only a matter of time before Roman had to gasp for breath, and Remus used the opportunity to uncap the potion and pour the contents into Roman’s mouth. Before Roman could spit it out, Remus pressed his hand to Roman’s mouth, effectively forcing him to swallow it.

Roman coughed and sputtered as it went down, burning his throat. It was tasteless which made Roman panic even more. Who knew what he’d just ingested.

“There. Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“What the fuck did you just give me?” he squawked.

Remus bounced on the balls of his feet. “Just a little something Deceit and I came up with. See, it heals you,” he explained, pointing at Roman’s, now stinging, shoulder wound. The pain in it intensified, and for a brief second, it felt as though his arm was on fire, before the pain disappeared.

Leaving smooth, bloodstained skin in its place.

“What the hell…” Roman whispered.

“I know right. Now, stand up.”

Roman stood shakily, concentrating on his brother. If he timed it correctly, he would be able to make a run for it. He held his un-injured hand out, summoning his sword-

Except it never appeared.

Remus, who’d turned around to lock the door spun to face Roman’s white face. “That won’t work. A little side-effect from the potion, I guess.”

So he was utterly screwed then?

“Let me go, Remus.”

“Nah. Anyways. Up for a duel?” Remus offered, summoning a baseball bat. Roman realised with a sinking feeling that that was _Patton’s_ baseball bat.

“I don’t have a weapon, Remus,” Roman said calmly, holding up his hands as proof.

Remus cocked his head to the side. “Improvise.”

Roman threw himself out of the way at the first swing which was aimed at his chest. They were really doing this. Okay. His shoulder slammed into a wall, though he had no time to reflect on the pain that shot up his arm, as the bat was swung toward his head. All he could do was duck as it smashed into the wall with enough force to chip it.

While Remus was recovering from the impact, Roman sprinted away to the other corner, keeping his back to the wall and facing Remus.

“Remus, please. Stop,” he begged. His cries fell on deaf ears, as Remus readied for another swing.

“Oh but it’s so _fun!”_

They circled the room, eyes never leaving each other. If Roman could hold out long enough, if he could incapacitate Remus long enough to unlock the door and escape…

He had a chance. He just needed to take it.

Slowly, excruciatingly, they made their way around the room, locked in orbit until either of them made a move. Roman knew Remus currently had the upper hand and was only circling to mess with him.

Just as he was within reach of the door, Remus charged with a cry, swinging wildly. Roman dropped to the ground and grabbed Remus’s foot. With a tug, it sent him crashing to the floor. The bat clanged as it hit the ground.

Roman took the opportunity and leaped onto Remus, using his weight to pin him down. “Stop this madness, Remus,” he preached. Remus just stuck his tongue out at Roman.

He began bucking wildly, trying to throw Roman off of him with all of his might. This caught Roman by surprise, dislodging one of Remus’s arms. He used it to grab Roman by the collar and pull him harshly forward. Their foreheads met with a dull _clunk._ Remus smiled, somehow completely unaffected. Roman, on the other hand, saw stars pop in and out of existence in his vision.

Those few seconds of disorientation were all Remus needed to punch Roman in the stomach and push him off. Roman groaned, hunched over on his knees, horribly vulnerable.

He tried to get up, staggering around wildly, but failed to see the bat approaching.

The first hit had been the beginning of the end.

The pain had exploded all over his left side, temporarily knocking the wind out of him. He fell, curling up into a ball to protect his injured side.

The bat came down again, on Roman’s right side this time. Tears leaked out from the corner of his eyes. Heaving for breath, he unfolded and tried to crawl away, desperation clouding his thoughts. It slammed into his left leg, and this time, Roman heard something crack.

He _screamed,_ twisting his body around so that he could try to inspect his leg. It came down again on the same leg, drawing a strangled sob from Roman.

“ _Stop! Please!”_ he cried.

“Give me the Imagination then!” Sobs shook Roman’s body as he refused to answer. “See! This is your problem!” The bat hit him again, on his back. “You. Never. Know. When. To. Give. It. Up!” Each word was punctuated with a hit. Blood stained the floor.

Roman couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even move. He lay there, gasping for air. Metallic blood filled his mouth and dribbled down his chin.

Remus nudged his arm with his foot, sending a dizzying flash of pain through his body.

“Help…” he wheezed, so quietly he was sure Remus didn’t hear it.

“Oh? You want help? You could’ve just asked?”

Roman wasn’t able to protest when Remus grabbed him by the arms roughly and yanked him to his feet. A ragged scream of pain was ripped from Roman’s ravaged throat and he saw white. Remus dropped his arms in mock-shock, sending Roman crashing to the ground.

A sob broke its way free from his lips. He almost didn’t have the energy to cry.

Remus crouched down next to Roman’s head and rolled him over onto his back. He then lifted his head slightly and tipped something down his throat. Roman realised that it was the miracle potion from earlier.

All of a sudden, everything was on fire. Roman let out a hoarse shriek as he felt everything burn.

A second later, and it all passed, leaving him on the ground, breathing heavily but able to move. The pain was gone. He took the silence as a chance to breathe.

Of course, the peace didn’t last, broken when Remus hauled him up again, Roman barely able to comply.

“Wh-what are you doing?” he whimpered.

Remus only smiled. “Imagination now?” he asked, sounding like a child asking for sweets from their parent.

“Remus, I c-can’t. You have to understand,” he pleaded.

Remus’s faced twisted into a grimace. He moved like lightening, quickly enough so that Roman didn’t see the blade until it was embedded in his stomach.

Roman gasped, struck with new pain, white hot agony that raced up his body. “D-don’t!” he yelped, seeing the look in Remus’s eyes, trying to move back. Remus just took the handle calmly and twisted the knife, drawing a howl from Roman.

He staggered back, clutching at his abdomen.

Remus strutted up to him, pushing him to the floor with ease.

“I will ask you one more time. Can you give me the Imagination?”

Somehow, through the haze of agony, Roman found it within himself to shake his head weakly. Remus sighed sadly, and in one swift movement, ripped the knife from Roman’s stomach. Tears ran freely down his cheeks as he sobbed.

Remus brought the knife down again and again, hitting different parts of his body in the process. Roman curled up, trying desperately to protect his head and neck.

Each time brought forth a wet squelch and a cry of agony. Crimson seeped into Roman’s outfit and stained Remus’s outfit as well. It dripped onto the floor, making the ground slick with blood.

Roman found himself finally drifting away.

Maybe he was finally dying.

Something slick ran down his throat, though it took him a full ten seconds to realise.

_No! NO!_

Coughing weakly, Roman tried to throw it back up. When the new wave of fire hit, he cried harder than ever.

When Roman had stopped writhing, Remus hauled to his feet again.

“Give me the Imagination.”

“No.”

And so it continued.

“Getting anywhere Remus?”

“Nope. Now what?”

“We compromise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain: Hey maybe you shouldn't write the explicit stuff to save you the trauma-  
> Me *preparing myself mentally*: Momma didn't raise no bitch. Let's go.


	4. "We're comin', babe."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton spills something important, everyone is confused, and things are heating up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *creeps in and leaves this here*
> 
> Tw for this chapter:  
> Screaming  
> Swearing  
> More torture  
> Electrocution  
> Begging  
> Knives  
> A slit throat  
> Punching  
> Blood  
> Panic attacks  
> Taunting  
> Crying  
> Stabbing  
> Mentions of nightmares  
> Handcuffs mention  
> Claustrophobia  
> Snake  
> Snake bite

One nightmare blended into another, though Patton was sure every time that it was real. Exhausted and terrified, he couldn’t do much except wait them out, hoping that they would eventually stop.

**_Ready, Morality?_ **

Patton felt tears overflow again. He didn’t want to watch anymore.

“D-don’t, _please.”_

**_I’ll take that as a yes._ **

His vision swooped for a split second as the scene around him melted away and reformed. He wasn’t sure what to expect anymore.

He was met with something he never wanted to see: Thomas strapped helplessly a chair.

He didn’t realise he was crying until he subconsciously brought a hand up to his face to battle the itch that had appeared.

Patton didn’t want to watch anymore suffering.

**_I will stop, once you tell me where Logic is._ **

No, he can’t do that. Logan was their only hope of getting out of the nightmare. Logan was the one strand keeping the Dark Sides from taking over Thomas.

“Can’t.”

**_Very well. If you remain this insistent._ **

“Wait, no!”

It was beginning before Patton could yell. Someone had stepped forward already, wielding a small, thick black rod that ended in metal prongs. His stomach twisted as he realised what it was too late, just as it was stuck into Thomas’s neck.

His body twitched and convulsed horrifically as sobs and whimpers were torn from his mouth. Patton cried with him, hands weakly stretching out toward him, to help him, to soothe him, to do _something!_

**_You can simply end it, Morality. Just a few simple words._ **

Patton felt his resolve weaken as Thomas let out another pained moan. His eyes rolled into his skull with every jab the man made.

Patton saw the bucket of water before Thomas did and screamed as it was dumped over him without warning. Thomas didn’t have any time to adjust as the guy pressed the shocker into his skin again. This time, they ripped a loud, bloodcurdling scream from his throat. He thrashed around in his bonds, chest heaving and trembling like a leaf.

“ _Stop it!”_ Patton shrieked. “ _Stop hurting him!”_

The shadows pressed closer, invading the little spot of light he sat in, but he couldn’t care less, hysterical with grief and terror.

**_What did I tell you Morality?_ **

“Why are you doing this?” he sobbed. His question was met with another agonised cry.

Patton felt the shadows nudge his head toward Thomas, pressing their cold fingers into his neck and cheek. He resisted for as long as he could, until they were literally wrenching his head to face the scene properly. They even held his eyes open, pressing his glasses tightly to his face at the same time.

Thomas was twitching, eyes rolled to the back of his skull and shivering uncontrollably. There were patches on his neck that shone an angry red, blisters already forming on his skin. Patton froze when their eyes met for a fraction of a second. They were dead.

“Thomas? C-can you hear me?”

No answer. Hood guy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and Thomas flinched away, looking down at the floor. In his other hand, Patton saw the glint of metal. He yelled out at Thomas who didn’t react in any way. He didn’t fight at all when Hood guy grabbed him by the chin from behind and pulled his head back roughly. He couldn’t react when he…he-

Patton’s screams grew in pitch and volume, fighting twice as hard now to _escape._

**_Beautiful, isn’t it?_ **

_No-no more… Please…_

**_Tell me, and this will all be over._ **

Patton cried into his hands. He couldn’t take anymore.

It was a flash of the bloody laceration to Thomas’s throat that got him to break.

“Outside! I sent him out of the Mindscape!” he croaked, clutching his head in his hands. Every muscle in his body tensed, waiting for it to end.

His head spun suddenly, making his stomach lurch and toppling him over. Blearily, he opened his eyes to a tiny concrete room, with only a single metal door set into the opposite wall.

It was violently wrenched open, and Patton’s breath caught in his throat. Deceit marched through, looking absolutely _furious._

Without a single word, he walked right up to Patton, bent down a little bit and struck him across the cheek. His head snapped over to the side, stunned into silence.

“What did you do?” Deceit hissed, hitting him again on the other cheek. Patton whimpered pathetically. “What did you do to the Mindscape? _Why can’t I leave?”_

His voice was raised to a yell, and Patton tried to shrink back into the wall, attempting to talk around his smarting cheeks. “Locked it,” he whispered miserably.

Deceit’s face twisted with rage. “ _How dare you?”_ he roared, punching Patton in the stomach. He wheezed for breath, hunching over on himself. Deceit grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him up onto his feet. Patton stumbled around, legs almost giving out.

With a slimy smile, Deceit kneed him right in the abdomen. Patton cried out, crumpling to the floor. He was vaguely aware of the blood dribbling out of his mouth and down his chin.

Deceit’s hands went to his chest and ripped away Patton’s hoodie, mopping up the blood on his face with it. Patton moaned in pain and anguish. Logan would be so sad to see it dirty.

“No matter. Let’s see what we can do with this.”

Deceit didn’t return the hoodie, instead leaving Patton in the cold, damp room of nightmares.

The metal door shut, scraping along the ground. The sound echoed in his head.

The darkness came swiftly, and Patton succumbed to its depths.

“What did you see, Logan?” Emile prompted gently. Logan gave himself five seconds to recover. He needed a clear head for this. He didn’t need emotion now at all.

“Nothing good. We must move quickly. Remy, when do you propose would be an ideal time to attack?”

Remy took a thoughtful sip from the Starbucks he’d summoned a little earlier. “We needta be careful. Wouldn’t be good if we ended up in the wrong place, hon.”

“True. Thomas, how do you feel?”

Thomas didn’t answer, looking far away. “Maybe you should rest buddy.” Emile gently nudged Thomas into a lying position. He curled up facing the coffee table, looking forlorn. Logan felt his worry spike.

“Joan, could you make sure Thomas doesn’t roll off? Talk to him as well.” Joan saluted Emile and sat down on the floor next to Thomas’s head, murmuring softy to him.

Remy put on his sunglasses. “Gurls, get ready.”

Emile’s eyes went wide, and he stood up quickly, Logan following suit. “Emile, what-“

Emile spun around quickly, pressing his finger to his lips. Worry shone in his eyes.

“Step away from Thomas, Joan. Do you know what it is, Rem?” Joan backed away.

“Wait, what’s going on?”

“Hush hon. Further than that. There we go. Well, I can’t get a good grip, yanno? I’m _outside_ , that thing’s _inside_.”

“What thing-oh.”

“What the actual f-“

“Get back behind us, Joan.” They looked at Thomas pleadingly, shaking his shoulder futilely. “Do not worry about Thomas, Joan. He will be fine. Not even Remus would dare to physically harm our host.”

The _thing_ turned its deformed head toward them, and that was what made them scuttle backwards in fear. Logan watched it solidify with morbid fascination, brain racing with ideas and theories.

It wasn’t until it cocked its head at them and spoke with Remus’s voice that it clicked.

“Hi Logie!” Logan already felt his hackles rise at the nickname. “So, you’re probably wondering where your friends are.”

“I am.”

“Well, what if told you that if you skedaddle on up here, I’ll keep ‘em alive free of charge!”

**_Keep_** _them alive._ “No deal,” Remy interjected. “Not until we can see ‘em.”

The monster, fully formed by now, shifted. It was _horrifying,_ tall enough to touch the roof and stick thin. Made of shadows, constantly shifting and moving within the skeletal body. Eyes that glowed sickly green were fixated on Logan.

“Aww. You mean you won’t even consider it?” Logan’s thoughts finally caught up with him and realisation hit him with a jolt.

“You were the one who attacked Virgil before.”

“Took ya long enough!”

Remy spun around. “He what?” he asked, voice low and dangerous.

“Shoulda heard how he screamed!” A laugh bubbled from his throat. “Pathetic and yet, somehow hilarious!”

Even Emile looked mad. “Wait, Virgil exists too?” Joan whispered?

Unfortunately, the monster heard. “Oh hello there. Of course he exists. So does everyone else. Wanna see some proof?”

Logan in fact did not want to see any proof. Unfortunately, he had no choice in the matter.

“Lo. Lo, you gotta look away.” Logan could, in fact, not look away from the bloodstained hoodie it held. “Don’t do anything Lo! We can’t risk it.” The voice grew louder, though he couldn’t hear it very well over the roaring of the blood rushing through his head.

_No._

“Consider this a warning. Or maybe, it’s already too late! It’s your choice Logan.”

He was shaking. When did he start shaking?

“Breathe with me Logan. One, two, three, four…” He was vaguely aware of hands on him, holding his shoulders firmly. “Come on bud. _Breathe.”_

It felt like an eternity before Logan could take a proper breath. It was only when his head cleared somewhat that he registered that he was on the floor. His cheeks itched with drying tears. Emile backed away when he realised Logan was okay and didn’t want a hug.

“Know it’s probs not the right time or whatever, but there’s a thing you should see.” Despite the way Remy said it, Logan could detect an undertone of worry. He nodded at Remy to continue, knowing his voice was in no condition to speak.

Remy walked over and stood next to a hovering black disc, which was directly over Thomas’s head. Thomas was asleep peacefully, and Joan was dozing next to him. Logan raised a brow at Remy.

“Rem needed to knock Joan out too. They got really scared and no one could think.”

“Don’t worry, babe. He’s dreamin’ up some real good things.” Logan nodded, far too tired to reprimand Remy, and pointed at the disc. “Dunno _exactly_ what that is, but I _do_ know that anyone who touches it goes to where ever the hell Remus and Deceit are.”

Logan stood up, albeit with difficulty and pointed at himself. Emile was quick to jump in.

“No. No way you’re putting yourself in danger like this. Who knows what they’ll do to you!”

Logan turned his gaze on Remy, silently pleading with him. Remy’s face hardened.

“No ma’am. No ma’am! I am not lettin’ you go off on this lil adventure, honey. Don’ even _think_ about tryin’ it Lo. I _will_ put you to sleep til it’s over.”

“Remy,” Logan began, cringing at how hoarse his voice was. “They wish for my presence. What other choice do we have?”

Remy took a long sip from his coffee. “We have a choice, gurl. That choice is: give you up, knowing it’ll put Thomas and the others in danger. Or, send someone to compromise.”

Logan’s eyes grew. “You aren’t thinking of sending yourself, are you?”

“You know I am, sweetie,” Remy deadpanned.

Emile looked alarmed. “Remy think about this. Don’t rush into these things.” _He missed out on a chance to reference Steven Universe,_ Logan thought tartly.

“I have thought about it. I can go, check up on the others and tell ya how they are.”

“What if they _hurt_ you?”

“D’ya really think I’d let that happen? I’ll be fine, Emile. I can look after myself.”

“But Remus-“

“Oh I _know_ Remus’ll try.”

“What if you put the others in danger?” Logan asked sharply.

Remy took an audible breath in. “I won’t let ‘em, Lo. I swear on my Starbies, I will protect them.”

Logan nodded, kneading his temples with his fingertips. Remy hugged Emile goodbye and saluted Logan before stepping up to the black disc. “Stay safe!”

Remy pushed on his glasses and gave them his biggest smile as his hand enclosed the black.

“I will.”

Remy sunk down, quickly enough to send his stomach swooping. Feeling slightly nauseous and very disorientated, he squinted as he tried to make out his surroundings.

“Oh. It’s you.”

The voice was coming from behind him, so Remy spun around carefully, not wanting to make himself even more dizzy. Whoever it was sounded disappointed.

“Don’t sound so happy to see me, hun.”

“Don’t be so crestfallen, Remus. He has a use.”

Ah. Remus and Deceit. Fan-fucking-tastic.

“Heya gurls. Wanna show me where the good shit is?”

“We’d honestly rather not-” Deceit began.

“Well I _honestly_ don’t care. Where are they?” Remy’s words turned sharp. “C’mon, don’t have all day.”

Remy sensed it before it actually happened. Remus turned, as if to walk away and spun around dizzyingly quickly and chucked a knife in Remy’s direction. It embedded itself in his stomach. For a moment, there was silence, where Remy processed what had just happened with Remus looking decidedly smug.

Then, Remy looked at Remus dead in the eye and didn’t break eye contact as he drew the knife out of his flesh, dropped it onto the ground and took a long sip from his coffee. Remus looked suitably terrified, which was Remy’s cue to smile wickedly and motion at Deceit to lead the way.

Begrudgingly, Deceit walked in front with Remus behind, and they led him through cold, dim corridors. The walls seemed clean at least, though he didn’t exactly know what to expect. But they had gotten signs of abuse from all three missing Sides so he could expect something not-so-great.

Deceit stopped at a simple metal door and pushed it open. The scraping sound it made probably gave Remy hearing problems for life. As it opened, Remy looked apprehensively at Deceit. “Go on,” he said with an unpleasant smile. “Look for yourself.”

Remy stepped into the freezing, bare room, eyes zeroing in on Roman, barely conscious on the ground, prince outfit drenched in blood. He practically threw himself at him, hands hovering uselessly, curses streaming steadily from his mouth.

“Oh _shit_ , Roman. What have they done to you, hun?” he whispered. Remy didn’t get much of an answer, but the tiny twitch in his fingers was definitely a good sign. “That’s it, babe. C’mon, talk to me!” Remy only allowed his voice to rise to a hiss.

Roman mumbled something incoherent, and Remy let loose a long sigh of relief. “Oh thank god, Thomas hasn’t lost you yet.”

“Mmm, see that dragon…poke it…with my… _sword._ Shut _up_ Virge… _”_

Deciding not to question it, Remy laid a hand on Roman’s forehead. The effect was instantaneous. Roman’s body jerked once, and his eyes flew open. As he opened his mouth, Remy placed a hand over it. “Don’t say anything,” he hissed. Roman nodded, eyes filling with tears already. Remy slowly removed his hand with a pointed look.

“Remy, I-“ he gasped out.

“Take your time, gurl,” Remy soothed, brushing the hair out of his eyes. He frowned his matted locks, stiff and dark with blood most likely. Fury crept into his veins.

Roman took a second to take a breath. “What are you doing here?”

Remy huffed out a little laughter. “D’ya really think you could leave _me_ out of your lil party? No ma’am. _No ma’am._ ” Roman smiled thinly. Remy bent down a little more, shifting so that he blocked Deceit and Remus’s view of them. He then began talking very softly into Roman’s ear. “Spec’s safe, if you’re wondering, dunno ‘bout Virge and Pat. We’re getting you outta here sweetie.”

Roman nodded wearily. “I know,” he whispered. He turned those tremulous eyes to Remy. “I’m just…afraid. I’m terrified, Remy.” Remy swore he felt his heart break then and there.

“I know. Won’ be long now. Hang in there.”

“I will.”

Remy smiled and leant forward, kissing Roman’s forehead. With a final smile, Roman slipped away into a dreamless sleep. God knows he needed it.

Satisfied, Remy stood up. “Where are the other two?”

“Come right this way.”

Remy found himself led out Roman’s room and away into another corridor, cringing at the screeching sound of the door being closed. The next door had a tiny window at eye level, giving Remy a glimpse of Virgil within, seemingly sleeping peacefully.

The first thing Remy did when he reached Virgil’s side, was place a hand on his forehead. Nightmarish images flashed through his head, making his flinch back instinctively.

“Shit,” he muttered. It was only then he registered the glowing metal handcuffs around his wrists. “ _Shit!”_

Remy was most certainly going to kill both of the bastards at this rate.

Sucking in a breath, Remy clutched Virgil’s hand.

The nightmares hit him, knocking the breath out of him. Remy held steady, closing his eyes and twisting the images into more pleasant things. Virgil’s muscles relaxed enough to let Remy know that it worked. He frowned as he pulled away. Who knows how long this’d last?

“Sorry I couldn’t do more, Virge,” he mumbled, standing up. “We’re coming, babe.”

Patton was last, and honestly Remy was terrified of what they’d put him through. Whatever it was, would probably end up breaking Logan, and none of them needed that.

Patton was curled up in the corner, nothing but rope around his wrists restraining him. Blood ran down his chin, and there were welts on his face, but he was otherwise physically uninjured. Remy bit his lip, and thrust his hand forward, gritting his teeth as it made contact with his forehead.

_Screaming, torture, blood, pain pain pain painpainpainpainPAINPAINPAINPAIN-_

Remy couldn’t help the high-pitched shriek that came from his vocal chords as he flinched back violently.

_What the actual fuck?!_

Breathing heavily, Remy put his head in his hands. How the hell was he supposed to stop whatever this abomination of a nightmare was?

“Have a nice view?” Deceit. Remy wanted nothing more than to high five him in the face with a brick, repeatedly.

Taking deep breaths to slow his racing heart, Remy sent back a bright grin. “God, babe. Gotta love your creative flair. How many hours of searchin’ the dark web did it take to get this much detail?”

“Oh, you have _no_ idea.”

Remy couldn’t imagine what was happening in Patton’s head, but god he wanted nothing more than to clock Deceit in his stupid smug face.

Reeling himself in, keeping the smile on his face, Remy brushed a quick kiss on Patton’s forehead. He was nearly overwhelmed again, by the wave of horror that clouded his head for a split second, but he held firm.

“Don’ worry, Pat. We’re comin’ and we’re gonna bring hell to these bitches.”

As he stood up, Remy wobbled dangerously. Damn, his energy had just been zapped.

“Are you done so soon?”

He spun around slowly. Ah yes. There was the son of a bitch he needed to kill.

“Whaddya think, babe? Anyhoo, I was just wonderin’ if any actual negotiations are gonna be made, ‘cause lemme tell ya, I do _not_ agree with your treatment of my favourite sides-“

Deceit waved a hand, which send Remy’s palm flying upwards and attaching itself firmly to his mouth. “I think not, actually. Now, if you excuse me, I have matters to attend to. Goodbye.”

And he was falling through the floor, down, down, down, landing in a heap on a soft, carpet.

“Oh my goodness, Rem! Are you alright? What did you see? Are they alright?” Emile blabbered useless, hovering above Remy.

“Remy?” Logan’s voice cut through Emile’s, sharp, with an edge of worry.

Remy stood up with a little difficulty, and took in the hopeful faces around him. Thomas and Joan had woken up as well.

He hung his head low, tears stinging his eyes.

“Rem, what’s the matter?”

Damn it all to hell.

Remy marched over and kicked the coffee table, so hard his foot began tingling.

_“Fuck!”_ he screamed.

Virgil felt something around his wrists, familiar enough to elicit an old kind of panic in him. His body didn’t respond to his mind, so for what felt like forever, he lay there on the ground, on the verge (ha) of tears while being unable to move.

The door opened with a screech, and Virgil’s eyes zeroed in on Deceit.

“Let me go.” His voice was barely there, hoarse and weak from screaming probably.

“Oh Virgil. We both know that _will_ happen.”

“What the fuck did you do to them? Where are they?” A note of hysteria crept into his voice.

Deceit took his damn time responding, each second grating on his nerves. “Neither of them are in particularly good shape. Nothing for you to worry about, Virgil.”

“You forget that worrying’s my job.”

“Right, right, of course.”

“What do you want?”

Deceit just walked closer and knelt down in front of Virgil. “I just want to give you a choice. Will you join us or not?”

Virgil was dumb-struck. “Wh-what?”

“Come with us. Join us, and we’ll leave you alone. Come on Anxiety.”

“You can’t b-be serious.”

Deceit’s face clouded over with anger. “That’s a no then?” Virgil nodded, already too tired to speak. “Fine then. Enjoy some time alone.”

_What on earth did he mean by that?_

Virgil’s thought went into overdrive as Deceit left without another word.

It started small.

Virgil didn’t notice the shift in the walls. Didn’t notice until he blinked and suddenly, they were literally closing in on him. Struggling, and breathing heavily, he looked around frantically for an exit. Finding none, he drew in helplessly, sobs shaking his body, as the receding walls made him curl up into a ball.

“No, no no no no no _no please!_ ” The last word was raised to a scream. Virgil could have sworn he heard laughter from somewhere.

With no room to move at all, Virgil stayed in a ball, tears streaming endlessly down his face. “Deceit. Deceit, let me out! Please!” he croaked.

Nothing.

Virgil froze when he felt something slimy and cold twirl its way around his leg. It moved upwards, resting on his knee. A yellow snake blinked up at him, almost seeming to smile at him. Virgil couldn’t _breathe,_ couldn’t move. He just stared at the snake.

And slowly, taking its damn time, it shifted and began slithering towards Virgil’s face, wrapping around his torso. Virgil shivered in revulsion and fear. Its head rested on his neck.

Virgil cried harder as he felt two sharp pricks on his neck, dancing across his skin. Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, they pierced his skin, leaving a deep ache that spread throughout his neck. Virgil could _feel_ the venom get pumped into him.

Virgil felt himself lose consciousness quickly.

And the skeleton that was Virgil woke up.

“Hello Anxiety. Ready to do your duty?”

“Of course I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one more to go!  
> whooo!
> 
> ngl, felt real bad while writing that last part


	5. I'm Coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were his famILY.  
> And he'd go to hell for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're at the end! Whoo hoo
> 
> Tw for this chapter:  
> Screaming  
> Swearing  
> Crying  
> Brief mention of handcuffs  
> Mention of intrusive thoughts  
> Violence (our boys get their revenge)  
> Hypothermia  
> Temporary memory loss  
> Blood and injury  
> Mention of insect death  
> Choking  
> In which a character is threatening his friends  
> Mention of bite marks  
> Rope   
> Being tied up  
> Punching  
> Eye gore  
> Mentions of liquid related burns  
> Mention of nightmares
> 
> Stay safe and enjoy!

“What did you see, Remy?”

Emile looked crestfallen, and still, there was that hopeful gleam in his eyes. Remy looked away. Logan approached him carefully. 

“Remy, what happened down there?”

He shook his head, jaw clenched tightly. “Remy, please. We need to know what we’re getting into,” Emile said softly.

Remy’s eyes found Logan.

“You can’t go there,” he whispered. “Logan you can’t!”

Logan blinked in shock. “What do you mean? What are they doing to them?”

“You may wanna siddown for this, babe.” Logan complied, collapsing into the sofa and sinking into the cushions. Thomas, Joan and Emile sat with him, Thomas and Emile on either side and Joan on Thomas’s other side.

“What did you see, Remy?” Logan murmured.

Taking a deep breath, Remy began to speak quickly and quietly. “Kay, so they took me to Roman first, right? Poor thing, he was lyin’ on the concrete floor! Didn’t have any kinda rope or chains holdin’ him down, meaning they’d hurt him _bad._ You wouldn’t believe it if you saw Lo! He-he-!” Remy stopped, breathing heavily for a moment. “He was covered in blood. His whole prince outfit was red as the sash. Hell, couldn’t even make the sash out!”

Logan felt sick to his stomach. “Oh god.” Logan saw out of the corner of his eye, how Emile look uncharacteristically grim and Thomas’s skin had gone paper-white. 

Remy swallowed. “Woke him up to talk. He was so _scared_ and god knows what his bastard of a brother was doin’ to him. I put him to sleep though. Gave him a few nice dreams. Virgil isn’t much better off, either.”

“Please don’t tell me they used the-“

“The handcuffs? Yeah, they did. Asleep and dreamin’ up some real bad things. I tried making it easier for him, but I couldn’t do much, Lo. And Patton. I-“

Remy stopped again. Logan thought back to the bloodstained hoodie.

“They didn’t hurt him like they hurt Roman. It was all in his head. I saw snakebites on his neck. Oh god, his dreams. I don’t wanna describe them. I’m not gonna.”

Logan felt like he was floating. “How bad?” he heard himself say.

“Bad. Awful. Horrible. Every-negative-adjective-under-the-sun bad.”

Silence between them all. Then Joan spoke up. “Uh, quick question: what exactly _was_ that black thing that attacked us earlier?”

Logan and Remy shared a look. “That was an intrusive thought.”

“But, I though Remus-“

“Remus creates the intrusive thoughts, Thomas. They come from him. Like your positively creative ideas come from Roman,” Logan explained patiently. “However, Roman has a part of the Mindscape where he can express those ideas. The Imagination. One of the few places where the dark sides cannot enter unless given explicit permission. Remus does not have such a place of his own, which is why his…’ideas’ become those things. They are only as dangerous as you let them be, however, but they are even stranger than Remy or Emile. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“Thomas, don’t know if you know, but that’s really fucking weird,” Joan deadpanned.

“I am aware. What do we do?” Thomas asked, voice small.

Logan’s eyes found his. He looked so tired, despite having only just woken up from the nap. Logan didn’t want to know how badly all of this was treating him. He couldn’t. So he made his decision.

“Are you feeling alright, Remy? Only the truth.”

Remy squinted at him. “Shaken up, but I’ll be okay. Why?”

“It’s time.” Logan said it loudly, clear and with clarity. With the storm raging around him, this was the one thing he was sure of.

Remy lit up like a Christmas tree. No doubt he was waiting for this, and something in Logan stirred. Against a heavily caffeinated, angry, sleep-deprived being which doesn’t follow the basic laws of the universe and Logan, Deceit and Remus didn’t have a chance.

“You sure, Logan?”

“Positive, Emile. Judging by the way Remy described their conditions, we do not have much time before something cataclysmic happens. It’s now or never, and I believe that we’ve all had enough of waiting.”

“Damn right we have! Oh fuck, can I please thump the shit out of the bitches?”

“Go right ahead. Remy. I will not stop you.”

Remy’s fist punched the air. “Yes!” he cheered.

Logan sighed, though not unhappily. “Remember, Remy, getting Roman, Virgil and Patton out safely is our main priority. Revenge comes second.” Ignoring Remy’s fake-pout, he turned to the other three. “How do you feel about staying here? There is a chance, an unfortunately big chance, of them actually coming up here. Like I said before, they wouldn’t dare touch Thomas. Joan is at more of a risk, though I am uncertain if they’d be able to harm you. Emile is in the most danger.”

Emile was quick to respond. “I’ll set up some kind of medical station here for when you get back with them.” Logan smiled ruefully.

“Thank you. Thomas? Joan?”

“Uh, I’ll stay with Thomas,” Joan said.

“And I’ll stay here.”

“Very well. Are we ready to go, Remy?”

“Honey, I was _born_ ready.”

Logan nearly smiled at his enthusiasm. It was infectious.

“Thomas, we need you to get us there. Unlock the mindscape.” he stated, turning to his host.

“Uh, small problem. I don’t know how.” _Oh._ Before the horror could bubble up in Logan’s stomach, Remy pushed Logan aside, making a beeline for Thomas.

“Move bitch, I’m gay. Aight Thomathy, I’ll show where they are. If you can’t unlock the Mindscape, just take us to the bastards. Ready Logan?”

Logan nodded, slightly dumbstruck. “Remy, you seem to forget that all of us are gay.”

“Shut up Logan.”

Thomas closed his eyes, and Logan followed suit.

“Be careful, you two!” Emile’s voice rang out just before they began sinking down.

_Down, down, down, down, down into the one part of the Mindscape Logan had never been in._

He landed on concrete, the sudden impact startling him a little. He wobbled a little before gaining his footing and looking around. Remy was on the ground, glaring at the spilt coffee on the floor.

“Come on, Remy. You can conjure a new one later,” Logan hissed, tugging Remy up.

“Whatever,” he grumbled. They crept through the corridor they had landed in, Remy leading the way. They walked in silence, flinching at every loud sound they heard. Logan’s heart was pounding in his chest. Adrenaline was fueling him, and damn it, if they encountered either dark side now, Logan would have no problem pummeling them into the ground. Let them eat his dust for what they’ve done.

“Where are we going?” Logan whispered, glancing around.

Remy sped up slightly. “Shut up and follow me. I’m concentrating,” he muttered back.

It was at times like these where Logan admired Remy the most. When he transformed from a caffeine-addicted, bumbling idiot to someone who could actually get the job done. Despite having only come here once, Remy had a basic outline of what the place looked like.

They stopped at a metal door. Looking around furtively, he took a deep breath and pushed it open.

Logan clutched at his ears, the sudden screeching sound being jarring in the otherwise, quiet corridors.

“Remy, what are you doing?” Logan hissed. Saying nothing, he slipped through the gap he’d made and into the room beyond, motioning Logan to follow.

Looking back one last time and keeping his ears open, Logan tip-toed inside as well, stopping up short at the sight of a bloody, unconscious Roman.

“Oh goodness.” His voice sounded faint and breathy to his own ears. His legs refused to move forward, though his head screamed at him to go to help him.

_Where the hell was the blood coming from?_

“C’mon Lo. Help me here.”

Remy’s words cut through the clouds and Logan found himself practically running over to Roman’s side, looking him over. His brows furrowed in confusion. No wounds. Not even a scratch or a bruise. Nothing that he could see that would warrant this much blood escaping him. A part of him wondered if it even was Roman’s blood.

“Don’t try to move him until he’s conscious. We don’t know what injuries he has, and trying to sink out with him asleep might make send him into a worse condition. Wake him up, but slowly so he doesn’t cry out.

Logan touched Roman’s forehead. Cold. His lips had a bluish tint to them as well. No surprise there, the ~~room~~ cell was freezing, and lying on concrete did nothing to insulate him. Their best course of action would be to take him straight to Thomas’s living room.

“Where do you think the blood came from, Remy?” Logan asked quietly, prodding Roman’s arms and torso to check for broken bones. He frowned when he found nothing out of the ordinary.

Remy shook his head, palm on Roman’s forehead, the point of contact glowing slightly. Logan’s eyes shifted to Remy’s face, and under the sunglasses, Logan could see light. “I dunno, gurl. I just found him like this. Who knows what they did to him.”

Nodding absently, Logan went back to checking Roman over for injuries before attempting to move him. He couldn’t feel any lacerations on his torso, but touch alone wasn’t a sure indicator of external injury. He’d need to look for himself, though doing it here and now would be a terrible idea. The exposure to more cold could send Roman into shock and he didn’t want to aggravate any wounds that currently existed.

Taking a deep breath, Logan held up his hand and managed to summon a blanket. It would be enough until they could get him to safety. Logan tucked Roman in, making sure to cover him completely. He then smoothed down Roman’s hair as Remy worked his magic.

Logan couldn’t describe the burst of relief he felt when Roman’s eyes opened and focused on him. “H-hey nerd.”

A laugh made its way out of Logan’s throat. _That_ was Roman’s greeting to him after everything that had happened? It couldn’t be more in-character.

“Salutations, you brainless jock.”

“Shut up. I’m the p-p-prettiest side a-and you know it.”

“ _We have the same face!”_

“Mhm.”

Remy huffed a chuckle. “As much as this warms my heart, we need to get out of here, pronto.”

“Yeah we do. Get out of here. Wait. Why?” Logan and Remy shared a concerned look over Roman’s head. He clearly wasn’t processing anything. And, Logan noted with a sinking stomach, that despite the blanket, he was shivering violently.

“Roman, do you know where you are?”

Roman blinked in confusion. “The c-commons. D-duh.”

“Ah fuck. That’ll be the hypothermia,” Remy supplied, lifting Roman’s head and putting it in his lap.

Logan’s blood ran cold. Oh, they were in so much shit. “Should we tell him?”

“T-t-tell me what? Oh g-god, has Virgil stolen my j-jackets again? For _fucks sake,_ I t-t-told him not t-to!”

Remy shook his head wildly. “Hell nah! Don’t wanna scare him on top of all this. Warm him up first, and keep guard. The moment we hear trouble, we are getting the fuck outta here.”

“Right. Could you, perhaps, summon more blankets? My summoning skills are terrible.”

Remy snapped his fingers and a pile of blankets and heat packs appeared next to him. Logan spent the next five minutes placing packs on different parts of Roman’s body and using the blankets to secure them in place. Roman didn’t protest or fight, choosing to lie with his eyes half closed.

“Yanno what feels weird right now?”

“What?”

Remy shifted uneasily. “Nothin’s happened. Not a sound from outside, not a word, nothin’. You’d think theyd’ve found us by now, but no. Kinda suspicious, dont’cha think?”

Logan breathed in deeply. “Now that you mention it, something here doesn’t feel _right.”_

“If you t-two think something here is weird, th-then you obviously haven’t seen a dragonwitch! I mean. A dr-dragon, but a witch at the same t-t-time!”

“Oh shit, oh fuck he’s delirious.”

“Calm down Roman. Do you think it’d be alright to sink down now?”

Remy sighed. “I guess. Hold tight hon. Three, two, one-“

Down, down, down, down, down, somewhere unfamiliar to all of them.

Logan cried out when they hit the bottom. They weren’t in Thomas’s living room. Or anywhere he could recognise. It was pitch-black and only slightly warmer than Roman’s cell.

“Roman? Remy?”

“I’m here hon! So’s Roman!”

“ _Holy f-fuck, Logan I fucking remember!_ ” Roman’s voice, trembling and still very loud, was so full of horror and fear that it made Logan’s heart lurch. “Logan, where a-a-are you? Logan, _p-please!_ ”

“Calm down babe! You’ll hurt yourself!”

Using their voices to guide him through the dark, Logan fumbled his way along, tripping over a floor that seemed to resemble a cave floor: uneven and rocky. “Keep talking Remy, I’m on my way.”

“Ah shit. Uh, guess what Logan. I found this cool beetle in the Mindscape a week ago and I was wonderin’ where it came from, so I was thinkin’ ‘bout goin’ to you ‘xcept the stupid thing fuckin’ vanished and I couldn’t find it again, and then the next day, I went to put on my shoes, yanno, normal person shit, and squished something between my toes and I was fuckin’ curious, kay, so I looked to find what it was and it turned out to be fuckin’ bitch-ass bug ‘cos it decided to make its home my fuckin’ shoe of all places and you should’ve been there to hear how loudly I screeched when I found it, like Jesus fuckin’ Christ I think Emile thought I was being murdered or some shit but no one can touch this-oh, hi Lo!”

“I will never again ask you to keep talking, you can count on that much.”

“What th-the fuck, Remy.”

“You asked, and I delivered. Anyhoo, where the fuck are we?”

“I don’t know. Can we sink out?”

A beat of silence. “Nope.”

“Now wh-what?” Roman asked, sounding more miserable than Logan had ever heard him.

“We contact Thomas. Despite any power the dark sides hold over this area of the Mindscape, Thomas is basically the god. Provided that he knows how to get us out in the first place.”

“Lo, you gotta put more faith in him. He’s a quick learner. You of all people’d know.”

“True. Very well, who out of us could send Thomas a message the quickest?”

Roman spoke before Logan could even finish his sentence. “M-me, of c-c-course!”

“No.”

“Absolutely not, hon.”

Logan and Remy shared a look, having answered simultaneously. “What are you t-t-two? My p-parents?” Roman scoffed.

Logan pushed his glasses further up his nose. “I believe Patton and I are your parents. Remy is merely an uncle of sorts. Am I correct?”

“Damn gay.”

“Don’t you mean ‘damn straight’?”

“Did I fucking stutter?”

“The point is, you are too weak to exert your energy in this fashion. You cannot get through a single sentence without stuttering. Therefore, I will call on Thomas, and I hope that the matter is settled.”

Roman deflated instantly. “Hate it wh-when you’re r-right,” he muttered.

Logan smiled sweetly at him. “I’d hate to break it to you, but I am always right.”

Roman mumbled something under his breath that was too quiet for Logan to pick up, but it certainly didn’t sound positive.

Logan closed his eyes, reaching out for Thomas, when the message on his tongue. Worry gnawed on the back of his mind. No sign of Patton or Virgil at all.

“Logan!” Remy’s shout and a fierce tug at his shirt shook him out of his thoughts abruptly. Before Logan could reprimand Remy for pulling him out of concentration, he caught sight of his face.

Terrified.

He swivelled around and felt his jaw drop.

“Don’t come closer!” Virgil yelled. He had appeared out of the blue on the other side of the room they were in, bathed in bright white light. And Patton was with him. Being held. By the throat. In a chokehold.

He scrabbled weakly at Virgil’s arm, trying to claw it off his neck to no avail. Words failed as Logan surveyed the two. Virgil had betrayed them. After everything, Virgil had betrayed them and was now holding the person he held dear hostage in this fashion. Logan’s blood bubbled.

“Very well, _Anxiety,”_ he spat, saying the last word with as much contempt as he could muster.

“Logan, w-wait!”

Logan wasn’t about to hear Roman’s excuse. He didn’t want to. “Stay down, and stay quiet,” he said coldly.

Roman winced. “No! Look at h-his neck! His eyes, L!”

Logan stared him down incredulously. Huffing he turned his attention to Virgi- _Anxiety_ and took a step forward.

Patton’s eyes widened and he shook his head, managing to shift himself around. Logan blinked, and his eyes zeroed in on the bitemarks on his neck which practically glowed red against pale skin. He stopped in his tracks completely at the sight of identical marks on Virgil’s neck.

And, faintly but clear as day, were there two pinpricks of yellow light in his pupils.

Logan nearly crumpled to the floor.

“Virgil.”

He looked panicked at that, calm façade breaking for a second. “There’s no Virgil here. I’m Anxiety,” he rasps. Logan winced at his voice. Who knows what they had done to him.

“Falsehood.” Virgil startled, and Logan noticed his fingers trembling. “You are Anxiety, but to us, you are Virgil. Whether you like it or not.”

Wrong thing to say, and Logan realised too late.

Virgil tightened his grip on Patton’s neck, hackles raising, drawing a pained squeak from Patton’s throat. Logan threw up his hands, and made to take a step forward, but stopped himself. Nothing good would be accomplished this way.

“Virgil please-“

“ _Shut up!”_ he screamed, releasing Patton and bringing his hands up to tug on his hair roughly. Patton took the opportunity and scrambled away out of danger’s reach. Logan rushed to his side, and knelt down in front of him, ready to take Virgil on. Remy was in a similar position with Roman, holding an arm out to stop him from going forward.

“Hun, you gotta calm down and _think._ Who’re the baddies here, huh?”

Virgil answered without hesitation. “I am. I’m the villain, aren’t I? I don’t care at this point. I just want you to leave!”

“We aren’t leaving without you, Virge.” Patton’s voice was hoarse and small but the words echoed around the room they were in. “Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.”

“Shut up with your fucking Disney references!” Virgil snarled. “Fuck off, Morality!”

The dam broke and tears slipped down Patton’s cheeks. “I’m Patton,” he whispered brokenly.

“Aight, that’s it. Logie, help me out here. Looks like _someone_ needs a nap.” Remy took a menacing step forward, determination set into his features. A tug on his jacket stopped him.

“No,” Roman began, pushing Remy away with all of his remaining strength. “You may n-not remember who you are, b-b-but I do. We all d-do.”

Virgil rose to meet his new target. “Oh do you now, _Princey?”_ he all but spat.

“Roman!”

Ignoring everyone, he pressed forward, taking tiny steps toward Virgil. Logan went to grab him, but Patton held onto his shirt and gave him a tiny smile.

“Trust him,” he mouthed. Logan, feeling helpless and yet trusting Patton’s judgement more than his own crouched, ready to spring up in case anything went wrong.

“D-do you kn-know who you are?” Roman questioned softly.

Raising an eyebrow, Virgil smirked. “Anxiety. Thomas’s fight-or-flight reflex.” His smirk vanished. “A dark side.” Logan felt Patton’s flinch.

Roman wasn’t perturbed. “You used to be. Th-then you met us. And, and after a long time, you t-t-trusted us and came to live with us. You b-became a light side.”

“Monsters can’t become good.” He sounded unsure now, and Logan was filled with hope.

“You _never_ were a m-monster. We were all wrong when we th-thought you were a monster, because you were th-the only knight there, among those other m-monsters.”

“Which ones?” Virgil whispered.

Roman shrugged, holding his hands out slowly. “Who were th-the ones who t-t-trapped us here in the first place? Who were th-the ones who hurt us all?”

Realisation dawned on Virgil, and the golden light in his eyes dimmed. “They try to protect Thomas too.”

Logan cut in. “They do, and I will not discredit them for doing as such. However, their methods are unorthodox at best and downright cruel at worst.”

Roman gave Logan a smile, which he reciprocated with a nod.

Virgil blinked. And slowly, every so slowly, lifted a hand to his neck, touching the marks there.

“D-d-do you remember anything?” Roman whispered.

Fixing his gaze on Roman, Virgil gave him a slow, feline smile.

“Run” Logan uttered, too late as Virgil barrelled into Roman and knocked him down, pinning him to the ground. Roman cried out as he hit the floor, writhing to get away.

Virgil’s hands encircled Roman’s neck. “I know who I am, and I know my place in this world. I know what I’m made for, and what I was made to do. **You, none of you have a place in my future**!”

Roman choked and gasped, but Logan found himself frozen to the spot.

“Virgil! Stop-“

“ **I’m not Virgil!”**

“Yes...you are,” wheezed Roman. His hands came up to grip Virgil’s, his touch weakening Virgil’s assault. Gasping for air, Roman barely got the words out. “You’re Virgil. You…like Evanescence. You d-d-double knot your shoelaces, j-just in c-c-case. We once fought a d-dragon together. You really like Disney movies and w-watching them with us is one of your favourite th-things.”

“Stop,” Virgil muttered, clutching his hair. Roman pushed on.

“You love hugs, even th-though you’d never admit it. You also really like m-makeup and d-doing makeovers with me and Patton. You like p-p-pranking us, but you always make sure n-not to hurt anyone. B-because you’re the p-protector. Sometimes, you like to ch-check up on Thomas when he’s n-not watching. You hate talking to new p-p-people, but when you m-make friends, you’re friends for life.”

Logan added onto the list. “You’d often times come to my room if you have panic attacks or nightmares, and we’d listen to music together. Your favourite Disney movie is ‘Black Cauldron’. You and Roman sometimes would have hearty renditions of songs from different musicals in the kitchen.”

Virgil look absolutely torn, tears in his eyes and his mouth half open. “Please, don’t…” he mumbled. Though Logan reckoned that he didn’t mean it at all.

Remy grinned. “Where do I begin? You’re a boring, basic-ass bitch with your coffee. You have trouble sleepin’ all the freakin’ time, babe, so you’d come to me to knock you out. We like to do each other’s nails all the time, and while you like the black polish the most, sometimes you’d do your nails in red, cyan, dark blue and purple. You’re just a muffin, babe, and you’re our muffin.”

Virgil looked over at Patton, tears freely flowing down his face. Patton beamed up at him. “You like marshmallows in your hot chocolate. We watch cartoons together all the time. We give each other silly nicknames, but they’re never as good as Roman’s. You keep the card I gave you under the pillow, and I keep the one you made for me on the wall above my bed. Sometimes, you have bad days, but that’s okay! We’ll always be here. You’re famILY, Virge. We love you.”

“I-“ Virgil’s voice cracked and he swallowed, looking around at the four smiling people with him. “I don’t- I mean-“

“My D-Dark and Stormy Kn-Knight?” said Roman. Five seconds passed in silence.

“I’m _sorry!”_ he sobbed. “Oh god, I _hurt_ you, and, and-“

“Virgil.” Virgil looked mortified and practically leaped off of Roman, who sat up and held his arms out with a welcoming smile. He crept into them crying and hugging Roman close. “Virgil. Will you k-kiss me?”

Virgil’s head snapped up, and the room was enveloped with a stunned silence. Roman immediately tried to backtrack. “I’m sorry- I shouldn’t’ve tried to bring it up now of all times-“

“You can, Ro.”

Logan smiled as they pressed their lips together, slumped against Patton, who pressed his forehead to Logan’s temple. “They’re adorable, Lo.”

“Indeed they are, Patton. Our, dare I say, children have grown up, haven’t they?”

Patton laughed gently. “Yeah. I’m so proud.”

“So am I.”

Their moment was followed by a retching sound. “All of you can get a damn room!”

“Says you, Rem.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“No, y-you.”

Virgil punched Roman’s shoulder half-heartedly. “You reckless shit, I could’ve hurt you!”

“But you d-didn’t.”

Logan sighed through his nose. “I was wrong. They are still children. They will never truly grow up.”

Patton giggled. “Aw Lo! They’re probably just _kid_ ding!”

“It appears I am the only adult in this situation.”

Patton gifted him a mischievous smile. “I have more where that came from-“

“Anyway, shall we leave this place, Patton dearest?”

Logan hoisted Patton up, supporting most of his weight. “We shall, Logie-bear. Ready everyone?”

Virgil groaned, holding onto Roman. “The sooner the better. I never wanna see this place again.”

Logan took one more look into Patton’s eyes. “You won’t. We’ll make sure of it. As a famILY.”

Remy, Roman and Virgil came closer. “As a famILY,” they echoed.

Patton squeezed his eyes shut and held on tighter as the room began to spin.

Down, down, down, down, down, down into Thomas’s living room. He smelt the scent of safety before he opened his eyes, and relished in it for a second. Before yelling brought him, jarringly, back to the real world.

“What is--“

The scene before him brought something heavy crashing into his chest. Remus and Deceit standing on one end of the room, smiling as if Christmas came early. Standing next to him were Remy and Emile, with the three sides they had just brought back cowering behind them. Thomas and Joan were kneeling next to them, checking them over and tearfully hugging them in Thomas’s case.

Logan crinkled his nose. “Ah. It seems the vermin has crept into the house, Remy.”

Remy lowered his sunglasses, revealing stormy-grey eyes brimming with hate. “Mhm. Yanno what we do with rats, yeah?”

“Enlighten me, Remy.”

Summoning a coffee, Remy took a long sip of it. “Burn ‘em.”

They shared eye contact for a brief second. “Very true. Would you mind if I assisted you?”

“Not at all, hon.”

This time, Logan fought with a clear mind, heading for Deceit and letting Remy take on Remus. He had faith that the others would have vacated the space around them.

Deceit began to open his mouth, no doubt to start spitting lies, but was stopped when Logan punch him in the nose. “Lies will not work anymore. Words may have honed blades, but I wear the armour of indifference.”

Blood dripped steadily out of Deceit’s nose as they circled each other. He leered. “So you _totally_ believe that they care about you.”

Logan blinked. And a slow smile stretched across his face. “Is that the best you can do? You, with all of your wit and all you can taunt me with is that?” He chuckled. “I certainly have no doubts that they do care for me, even love me, more than I will ever comprehend. But if there comes a time when that is not true, that isn’t my problem. But I can assure you that our bond is one that is stronger than…”

“Vibranium?” Roman supplied.

“Yes. That.”

Deceit lunged for him, going straight for his middle presumably to knock Logan down. Logan shot forward in retaliation, bringing his leg up. Deceit’s stomach met his knee, and he doubled over, coughing his lungs up. Taking no chances, Logan shoved him down and summoned rope. Deceit struggled but stopped as soon as Logan slapped him tight across his face. “Consider this retribution for harming them,” he hissed, finished the knots off.

Remy and Remus were still battling it out, though it seemed that Remy was at a disadvantage, due to the fact that he was still clutching his coffee. Logan was tempted to yell at him to ditch it, but before he could, in one swift movement, Remy opened the lid and dumped the whole cup on Remus. It was hot, judging by Remus’s reaction.

“Liver on a stick that hurt!”

“Look away kids!” said Remy, whipping his sunglasses off, half folding them and driving the temple tips directly into Remus’s left eye. The wet ‘squelch’ filled the room, followed by a howl of surprise and pain.

“Was that really necessary?”

“Absolutely.”

The dark sides sat in front of Logan, Deceit staring down at the ropes with tears running down his face, most likely from the punch to the nose, as if he was hoping to burn them away with his gaze alone, and Remus clutching his bleeding eye, hair sticking to his forehead, mouth shut for once.

“You are going to leave us now. You will sink down to your part of the Mindscape and you will not bother us again.”

“No promises--” Deceit began.

“You will _not bother us again._ You will start helping Thomas in positive ways. You will never harm another one of us again. You may leave now.”

Shooting Logan a sour look, Deceit sunk down, Remus following suit.

“Is it over?” Emile whispered. Logan didn’t notice the blossoming bruise on his cheek.

Logan slumped. “I think so. I believe some rest is in order. Joan, you are welcome to stay if you wish. We all need sleep and medical attention now that I think about it.”

Virgil and Roman were virtually dead on their feet, though Roman had finally stopped shivering, Patton looked close to collapse on the spot and Remy and Emile hadn’t slept a wink since the whole thing started. Logan himself could feel his eyes closing now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

“I can keep watch if anything comes up,” Thomas piped up. Joan agreed.

Remy fell into the couch. “Only if you two promise to sleep later.”

“We will,” they chorused.

“You better, or I’ll make you,” Remy said, the threat having no real bite to it through his exhaustion.

Summoning a couple of mattresses and many, many blankets and cushions, everyone settled down. Everyone except Virgil.

Remy sighed. “Hun--" he began.

“Don’t wanna sleep, and you can’t make me, Rem.”

“I can actually. Get the fuck into bed.”

“Remy please!” Virgil gasped. “I can’t. I’ll just wake up anyway.”

Remy took off his sunglasses. “I won’t let you have any nightmares, kay? Siddown and get comfy, and I’ll work my magic, hun.”

Virgil sat down on the nearest mattress, warily watching Remy as he wrapped him up in blankets. “Will it work?”

Remy knelt down and kissed Virgil’s forehead. Virgil’s eyelids began to droop. “It’ll work, right?” he mumbled.

“I promise it will.”

Soon, everyone even Remy, was asleep. Logan lay on the mattress, letting his mind wander. The last two days felt like a bad dream, and honestly, Logan hoped they were. But feeling the bone-numbing tiredness consume him, the aches and pains in his muscles only made the whole thing more real.

Curling up under the quilt, he drifted off quickly, shutting out the thoughts.

They may not be much. But his famILY was 2008 emo, an over-dramatic prince, a pun-loving father, a cartoon-obsessed therapist, a very rebellious embodiment of sleep, his clueless, confused host and his friends.

And he’d go to hell for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally finished! Yay!   
> This was fun to write, even if I did traumatize myself a couple of times, though finishing it was ultimately worth it. Thank you to everyone leaving kudos and commenting on my work. It seriously makes my day. I apologise if this chapter seems rushed and of lower quality than the other ones, I don't know what happened either.   
> I'm definitely going to write something MUCH more light-hearted next time. I'm thinking a little!Sides story. With a crap load of fluff.   
> Again, thank you for sticking with me to see the end of this one, and I'll see you guys in my next work!


End file.
